[F1] F1 Nieuwtjes topic #31: Het gaat weer (bijna) beginnen

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16 March Australia
23 March Malaysia
6 April Bahrain
27 April Spain
11 May Turkey
25 May Monaco
8 June Canada *
22 June France
6 July Great Britain
20 July Germany
3 August Hungary
24 August** Europe ***
7 September Belgium
14 September Italy
28 September** Singapore
12 October Japan
19 October China
2 November Brazil

* Provisional.
** Subject to circuit approval.
*** The 2008 European Grand Prix will take place in Valencia.

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Dennis has 'full support' from Mercedes

McLaren team boss Ron Dennis has the full support of partners Mercedes, the German company's motorsport boss Norbert Haug has said.

Speculation has been rife in recent weeks about Dennis's future, as the the 60-year-old is believed to be increasingly keen to step aside from his role as head of the F1 team.

The rumours also suggested there was pressure from engine partners Mercedes, who own 40 percent of the Formula One team, for Dennis to step aside.

But Haug has insisted Dennis has the full backing of Mercedes and praised the Briton's input in the team.

"I'm now in my 14th year of working with Ron, and during this time only one other team has been more successful than ours has ," Haug told Bild magazine. "As team boss, Ron has played an immense part in achieving that success.

"Any negative statements appearing in the media are mere speculation and originate outside the company. We stand by Ron and are continuing to work with the same management structure."

Haug admitted there were always ongoing talks about the possibility of buying a majority stake in the team.

"Options for the future development of the company are under discussion all the time," Haug added. "But it's clear that we don't need to own more than 50% of the shares in order to ensure that we're listened to as much as we want to be."

McLaren has been surrounded by controversy since last year's spying affair, which cost the team all their constructors' points and a record $100 million fine.

Haug believes the negative reports will stop as soon as the team start the 2008 season.

"Hopefully in around two weeks' time after the first race, he said. "We've conducted extensive testing and our cars have proved reliable and fast. Whether they're fast enough we won't know until after the Australian GP."

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Op vrijdag 7 maart 2008 17:53 schreef NED het volgende:
Wat is dat met die #SPT subleague als ik vragen mag?

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Op vrijdag 7 maart 2008 18:05 schreef NED het volgende:

[..]

Ja dat snap ik, maar wat moet ik ermee?
Is dat een aparte sub-iets voor de mensen in dit topic of wat?

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Op vrijdag 7 maart 2008 18:39 schreef Kleffe_Dop het volgende:

[..]

Ik ook en dan geef ik het halverwege het seizoen maar op.

Waarom is het Williams chassis trouwens zo belachelijk duur?
Ok... ze hebben een goede winter gehad, maar op papier zijn BMW en Renault toch nog altijd de best of the rest.

* had gehoopt op een Williams chassis-tje

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Op zaterdag 8 maart 2008 10:35 schreef Sally het volgende:
meeleesdinges!

En als spellingchecker mag ik vast even dit opmerken: (in de OP)
Nog geen verreden Grand Prix' -> Grands Prix is het meervoud van Grand Prix
Bron

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FIA warns against working with Stepney

The FIA will take no formal steps against Nigel Stepney but has warned motorsport teams from collaborating with the former Ferrari engineer until the summer of 2009.

Stepney is under police investigation in Italy, on suspicions that he gave confidential Ferrari information to rivals McLaren while he was employed at Maranello.

The affair led the FIA to exclude McLaren from the 2007 constructors' championship and fine the squad with $100 million USD.

The governing body further said its legal department would meet with Stepney and make a decision on his future in motorsport as well.

But after the meeting on Friday, the FIA said it was not in a position to officially ban Stepney from motorsport - only to recommend to teams that they consider carefully whether or not to collaborate with the Briton.

A statement released by the FIA on Friday night said: "In its investigations of last year regarding the unauthorised use of intellectual property within Formula One, the FIA heard allegations that Mr Nigel Stepney, then employed by Ferrari, had passed confidential Ferrari information to an employee of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.

"Mr Stepney has admitted this allegation and apologised to the FIA, though he disputes the seriousness and extent of his involvement.

"As Mr Stepney is not a licence-holder of the FIA, no formal action may be taken against him under the International Sporting Code (though the FIA is co-operating with the Italian police, who are investigating Mr. Stepney's actions).

"As a matter of good order, the FIA recommends to its licensees that they do not professionally collaborate with Mr Stepney without conducting appropriate due diligence regarding his suitability for involvement in international motor sport.

"This recommendation stands until 1 July 2009."

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Super Aguri set for new season

Super Aguri are all set to start the new Formula One season, even though there has been no official news on if they have resolved their financial difficulties.

The Honda-backed team were forced to miss several test sessions because of money problems, and team boss Aguri Suzuki flew to Japan last month to seek fresh investors to help secure his outfit's future.

Although there had been concerns that the team could be forced out of F1 if the matter was not sorted, confirmation of their continuance came when the team's freight began arriving in Melbourne on Sunday - with the cars due to follow in the next 24 hours.

The presence of Super Aguri's equipment in the pitlane makes it almost certain that the team will start the season – even though they have not yet tested their new car or even officially confirmed either driver.

The names of Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson are written above their pit garages in the Melbourne pitlane, although the team could in theory change their drivers up until the eve of practice.